"And the LORD said unto Moses, Is the LORD's hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not"(Numbers 11:23).

It is very easy in our human nature to "look on things after the outward appearance" (II Corinthians 10:7).

In Numbers 11, the people of God murmured and complained saying, "Who shall give us flesh to eat?" (v.4) Even though God's anger was kindled, He promised to answer their request by giving them meat, "even a whole month, until it come out at your nostrils" (v.20). It is at this point that Moses limited the Lord by saying, "Shall the flocks and the herds be slain for them, to suffice them? or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them, to suffice them?" (v.22). Even though Moses was faithless, God miraculously supplied their need by sending an abundance of quail. The Lord's hand did not wax short!

In II Kings 4, Elisha's servant also limited God by reasoning that twenty small loaves of bread and some ears of corn could never feed the prophet's followers. He said, "What, should I set this before an hundred men?" Elisha replied, "Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof" (v.43). The servant looked on the outward circumstances and failed to trust God's power; Elisha believed God, thus the need was supplied.

A similar event happened in John 6. Over 5,000 people were following Christ. Jesus said to Philip, "Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?" (v.5). Philip, looking at the circumstances, said, "Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them" (v.7). Andrew said, "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" (v.9). Philip and Andrew both looked on things after the outward appearance. NPS